


A Piece Of Work

by ShiningStar324



Category: Outer Banks (TV)
Genre: M/M, kiara is a lesbian, mentions of abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-07
Updated: 2020-06-07
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:28:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24580831
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShiningStar324/pseuds/ShiningStar324
Summary: An AU where Pope is a Kook and JJ is a Pogue
Relationships: JJ/Pope (Outer Banks), Sarah Cameron/Kiara
Comments: 3
Kudos: 120





	A Piece Of Work

The sun had set a while ago, the fire burned bright in front of him. Pope sat in front of the campfire. His friends surrounded him. Sarah and Topper chuckled, tucked into each other, Rafe sat next to him, talking to some girl he had just met. 

Pope turned the red plastic cup in his hand, already half empty as he stared at the flames in front of him. He looked around, catching the sight of blonde hair from the distance. The pogues sat in a group together far away from them. The line dividing them was invisible, but still obvious. Pope watched the blonde boy talk about something to the group sitting in front of him. His arms waving around wildly as he tried to get his points across, eyes widening as he jumped on his feet with a grin on his face. 

JJ Maybank. Probably the loudest person on the Outer Banks pope has ever had to come across. He would come over to his place sometimes to deliver items to his father and yap around with his mother sometimes. Other than that, Pope didn’t know much about the blonde boy. He knew that JJ was reckless, always ready to fight with some kind of sarcastic comment at the tip of his tongue which would constantly get him in trouble. Everyone knew JJ Maybank for many different reasons on the banks. Pope and his friends knew JJ along with his friends Kiara and John B for no other reason but petty fights. 

Pope blinked himself away from the blonde before he got the chance to look his way and catch him staring, turning back to the fire in front of him. He turned his head to the side, listening to Rafe talk about a party and nodded along to what he said, the sound of the loud blonde still reaching his ear as he tried to tune it out.

By the end of the night, the kooks decided to leave and pope being the designated driver for tonight got up with them knowing he would have to drop them home. While leaving, they bumped into a drunk blonde that plowed into Popes chest out of nowhere making Pope backtrack at the force. 

He got a hold of himself and put his hands on the body that had slammed onto him. “You okay?” 

JJ Maybank looked up at him, a drunken sloppy smile on his face. “Am I dreaming or did I bump into the rich folks...must be my lucky day.” 

Pope sighed, moving to the side to walk around JJ. 

“Hey Sarah...long time no see.” 

Sarah smiled cautiously. “Hey JJ.” 

JJ walked towards her. “Hey you wanna try this new drink?” 

Topper stepped forward, pushing JJ back hard. “No, I don’t think she does.” JJ scoffed from the ground. “I think she can speak for herself.” He looked at Sarah from the ground, smirking. “Right Sarah?” 

Topper stood in front of the girl to block her view, making JJ chuckle. “Still hurts he ran away with a pogue?” Pope sighed and before he knew it, Topper’s fist was connecting to JJ’s face. 

Pope jumped in action, pushing Topper back as Sarah yelled for him to stop. “Top, he’s drunk, relax.” Topper scoffed, “watch your back pogue.” 

Pope pushed Topper away and walked towards the car but the loud voice of the drunken blonde boy followed them out. “Hey Sarah! Kie’s doing fine by the way.” 

Pope shook his head in annoyance, looking back at JJ who lay on the ground now, looking up at the sky, a cigarette in his mouth as he blew out the smoke. He opened the car door, the view of the blonde boy now completely blocked by trees. Pope shook his head once again and started the car. 

JJ Maybank was a mess.

\---

The next morning Pope woke up to the bell ringing several times. He groaned, picking himself off the bed and walking down the stairs to see his dad already at the door. He squinted his eyes to see familiar blonde hair peeking out from the view his father was currently blocking. 

“Thank you JJ.” His dad's voice was loud as he ruffled up the boy's hair. 

“Ah...Mr.Heyward, you're messing up my hairstyle.” 

His father chuckled, “it’s too hot for a hairstyle son. Come in, let me get you some water.” 

JJ shook his head and as his dad moved out of the way, Pope got a good look at the boy, “please that won’t be necessary sir.” His dad waved his hand. “Nonsense. Come in.” 

JJ stepped into his house, head moving around as he checked out the house and pausing when his eyes met Popes. He nodded his head in acknowledgment and Pope almost scoffed. “Pope why don’t you get JJ some water, I have some work to do.” Pope walked down the stairs and into the kitchen and JJ stood by the counter awkwardly. 

“You know a thank you would be great.” 

JJ looked up, eyes wide at the sound he did not expect to hear. “For the water? Thank you man.” Pope scoffed, shaking his head. “For saving your ass at the party yesterday.” Pope watched as the realization dawned on his face. “Didn’t ask for your help.” JJ replied with a shrug as Pope handed him the glass of water. Pope pointed to the black eye on his face. “That tells a different story.” 

JJ rolled his eyes. “I could handle myself just fine.” 

Pope chuckled, “yeah I can tell.” 

JJ squinted his eyes, defensive all of the sudden. “Don’t act like you know me because you don’t. We aren’t friends. I don’t need your help.” 

Pope let his eyes scan JJ, pausing at the bruises on his arm. “Topper didn’t do that.” He stated and JJ swallowed, putting the glass of water on the table. “Look, thank you for the water. I gotta go.” Pope watched the boy leave, slamming the door behind him and stared at the now empty space before shaking his head and putting the glass in the sink. 

JJ Maybank was a piece of work.

\---

Pope was the only one from his friends group who cared enough about his education to actually take summer classes. His father hadn’t always been wealthy. They had started from nothing and built their way up. Pope knows how important it is to work hard. He has seen his father do it all his life. Pope knows that even with his father's wealth, he will still need to work hard on his own. 

So he sat on his favorite part of the beach, legs spread out and a trigonometry textbook on his lap. He swirled his pencil between his fingers as he tried to understand a problem. The sound of a lighter clicking and a frustrated huff broke him out of his thoughts and he looked up. 

JJ Maybank sat a few feet away from him, his surfboard resting next to him, a cigarette in his hand as he looked up at the sky. Pope stared at him as he lay on the sand with his arm resting under his head. His blonde hair blew in the wind and his facial features were soft, relaxed. Pope had to admit, JJ Maybank was indeed a piece of work. One he was learning now, he could appreciate. 

“You know if you stare any longer I might as well take a picture and hand it to you to stare at instead.” 

Pope scoffed and shook his head...and the moment was ruined. “Nice to see you as well.” 

JJ chuckled. “Does the kook golden boy need his space?” 

Pope looked up from his textbook. “As a matter of fact, yes he does. Why are you even here? 

“Came to surf. The waves suck.” 

Pope looked at the ocean and hummed in agreement. 

“You surf?” JJ asked, now looking at him. 

“Not much.” J

J nodded and then looked at the textbook on his lap. “Probably too busy with the brainy stuff.” 

Pope chuckled. “Yeah I probably am. Trying to get a scholarship.” 

JJ raises an eyebrow. “Didn’t think a kook would need a scholarship.” Pope shrugged, not sure why he was having a conversation with JJ Maybank of all people. “Yeah well...didn’t want to use dad's money anymore.” 

JJ nodded. “I admire that. Never thought a kook would think like that.” 

Pope rolled his eyes at the boy. “Maybe you are just talking to the wrong kooks.” 

JJ sat up, turning his body towards Pope. “Well looks like I’m talking to the right one now.” 

Pope swallowed, looking intently at the blonde haired boy sitting next to him. “Maybe you are. Maybe I’m also talking to the right pogue.” JJ smiles at him then. Not one of those smug sarcastic smiles he often does but a warm and gentle one which made Pope happy to see. A feeling of warmth spread through him. 

JJ lay back down, putting his cigarette in his mouth and pope returned to his math problems. The silence was one that was comforting. Pope glances at JJ, who was lost in thought. 

For someone who was the loudest person on the Outer Banks, JJ Maybank sure was very quiet. 

\---

The next time he met the blonde it was at the annual carnival. His friends had ditched him with their respective dates and Pope just kind of wandered around until he saw the pogue boy. He was working at one of the game stations. He cleared his throat and smiled when the blonde boy looked up to see him, smiling. 

“Well hello there kook boy. Wanna test your luck?” 

Pope laughed. “My luck? I’m here to win.” 

JJ raised an eyebrow. “I like that confidence.” He took the 5 dollar bill that Pope handed him and moved aside. “Rules are simple. Use that gun to aim for the balloons. Hit 5 of these bad boys, you can pick a prize.” Pope nodded and sat in front of the water gun. He put his eye on the water gun, concentrating. For some reason, it became very important for him not to fuck up in front of JJ. His palms began to sweat slightly and he wiped them, looking up for a minute he saw JJ smiling as he watched him, patiently waiting for him to aim. Pope aimed the first time, making it and did it again until the 4th time where he missed the balloon by a few inches. He paused, taking a breath and shot one last time. This time hitting the balloon. He looked up and JJ chuckled. “Not bad for a kook. I’m impressed.” The statement made Pope smile way too wide for his liking. “Thanks. I aim to impress.” Pope scratched his head…”I didn’t win anything did I?” JJ rolled his eyes but the action was almost full of fondness now. “Well, since I'm incharge of this stand, I make the rules.” 

JJ took the huge teddy bear off the hook and handed it to Pope. “Congratulations kook.” Pope took the teddy bear from him with a laugh. “Thank you.” 

Pope turned around to leave before pausing and turning back. “Hey...after you are finished with this...you wanna hang out?” 

JJ looked at him for a few seconds, Pope could tell he was debating in his head. “Yeah...yeah I would like that.” 

Pope smiled and JJ found himself returning it. 

“Great.”

\---

Pope waited by the corner, sitting on a bench, his knee bounced up and down in anticipation as he checked his watch. The sun was beginning to set and Pope was sure years had gone by as he waited. The sound of rushed footsteps made him look up. JJ ran towards him and stopped to sit next to him on the bench. “Sorry I’m late. Boss was being an ass.” 

Pope nodded. “That’s alright.” 

JJ nodded and pointed at the bag resting next to the huge teddy bear. “What’s that?” Pope smiled. “Got something to eat from the best restaurant on the banks.” JJ raised his eyebrow. “I’ll be the judge of that.” Pope got up then and JJ followed him, grabbing the huge teddy bear and walking to the spot both of them silently agreed on. They sat on the sand, facing the ocean and Pope unpacked the food. 

“That looks….way too expensive to eat.” JJ could feel his stomach grumble and the laughter that left Pope made him realize that he heard it as well. JJ grabbed the fries and Pope went for some dish JJ had never seen in his entire life. 

“What do you wanna do? In the future.” 

Pope shrugged. “I wanna be a forensic pathologist.” 

JJ narrowed his eyes. “You wanna work with dead bodies and shit?” Pope chuckled and shook his head. 

“What about you?” JJ thought about it for a while. “I want a dog.” 

Pope looked at him with an incredulous expression. “A...dog?” 

JJ scoffed. “Stop looking at me like that.” He threw a fry at him and Pope swatted it away. “I’m not looking at you in any way.”  
“What's so weird about getting a dog?” 

Pope shook his head. “Nothing. I love dogs.” JJ started laughing then, pope joining in. They laughed and ate for what seemed like hours. 

“Have you ever thought about leaving this place?” 

They were laying on the sand now, food eaten. The sun had set a while ago but neither of them made any indication to leave. It was the kind of peaceful neither of them thought they would find in each other. “Yeah.” Pope answered, “all the damn time.” JJ hummed. “Me too.” They looked at each other from where they were laying. 

“There’s more for you than you let on Jay.” 

JJ smiled, raising an eyebrow. “Jay?” Pope sniffed, swallowing. “I thought it sounded good. You don’t like it?” 

JJ shook his head, “I didn’t say that.” 

Pope stared at the boy in front of him with a small smile and leaned forward, capturing his lips gently. He felt JJ freeze against him and Pope almost pulled away until JJ’s lips began moving against his own. He smiled against his lips, finding a rhythm before pulling away. JJ looked away, clearing his throat, “wow...I-“ 

Pope nodded. “Yeah….” 

JJ squinted his eyes, catching his breath. “So are you like…” 

Pope shrugged. “Gay?” JJ nodded. 

“I don’t know. This is the first time I did this. You?” 

JJ snorted. “Don’t know what I am. But I liked it.” 

Pope nodded with a cheeky smile. “Me too.” 

They both smiled then, like some love sick cliche teenagers. “I ordered desserts.” Pope picked up the bag from behind him and JJ chuckled. “Of course you did.” Pope looked at him with a confused face. “Huh?” JJ shook his head and dug into the cake in front of him. Pope looked at him before grabbing his own fork. 

JJ Maybank was confusing...but in the best way possible. 

\---

Months went by with long conversations and laughter. Pope brought JJ food from different restaurants every time they met and JJ always seemed to have room for more. They had kept it quiet, lowkey. They were both okay with it. After all, they both just needed each other. 

“What are we?” The quiet question caught Pope off guard. He put down his index cards with vocabulary written on them. They were sitting at their usual spot. “Hm?” 

JJ shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know. I guess I just wanted to know what exactly we are doing.”

Pope liked to think of himself as quite an observer, especially when it came to JJ. The boy drove him crazy because he never gave him answers about the questions he had. Never answered his concerning questions about the bruises that littered his body sometimes and it would always kill Pope inside knowing that he couldn’t get the boy to open up. He was a closed book, mysterious and haunting and the question which was asked wasn’t one that Pope expected. 

“We kiss each other, hold hands every now and then, you bring me food to eat by the beach, I help you study, we spend a shit ton of time together. So we have to be something?”

Pope cleared his throat unsure about how to handle an agitated JJ for reasons he didn’t know. “What do you want us to be?” 

JJ raked his hands through his hair and shrugged. “I don’t know Pope okay!” He rubbed his eyes which swelled with tears. “I just- I don’t KNOW!”

Pope quickly came closer to him. “Hey, hey.” Pope removed his hands from his eyes and held them in his own. “What’s going on with you? You know you can tell me anything.” JJ nodded. “I don’t want to bore you with my shit.” Pope shrugged. “I would never get bored with any of your shit Jay.” Pope waited patiently as JJ gathered his thoughts. “John B is on some stupid mission looking for his father or some shit and we got into a fight and Kiara is just always with him helping him and she has her own problems you know.” Pope nodded softly. 

“And I can’t go home because my dad-“ JJ clenched his jaw, visibly swallowing. “My dad and I just don’t have the best relationship.” 

Something clicked in his mind and Pope swallowed thickly before putting JJ’s face in his hands. “JJ...the bruises….are they from your dad?” 

The tears welling in his eyes gave him the answer he needed. Pope felt his heart break for the blonde boy who had gotten so close to him in a few months. How he would always smile and tell him all these crazy stories while hiding so much pain. Pope hugged him tightly as JJ burried his head into his neck. “I’m so sorry baby.” He felt JJ shake his head against his neck. “Not your fault.” Pope kissed him on the head. “I’m always for you.” They sat there for a while, index cards forgotten. Hands tightly held, legs tangled. “Hey.” JJ looked up from his position on Pope’s chest. “Be my boyfriend?” 

JJ smiled. “Really?” Pope smiled back, big and warm. “I would love that Kook.” Pope chuckled, leaning in to kiss JJ on the lips, they smiled against each other, giggling as they pulled apart. “You can stay at my place Jay.” Pope whispered and JJ nodded against his chest. 

“Thank you.” 

Pope sighed, smiling as he grabbed his index cards again. JJ Maybank was his boyfriend. 

\---

Turns out, keeping a relationship secret when your friends hate each other is harder than it looks. Especially when you are officially boyfriends. Especially when your boyfriend spends the night at your place almost every day and has to jump out the window when your friends show up unannounced. 

Now though, it’s harder than ever. They sat on 2 different sides of the campfire once again. This time though, he watched JJ sit on the other side and glance in his direction every few minutes. They share a small smile every now and then.

Pope hates it. He wants to be there with him. Especially now as JJ dances to the music with some random girl he has never seen. He’s not jealous. No, not at all. He’s just upset that he can’t do that with his own boyfriend in public. Every now and then he would see Kiara and Sarah make eye contact with each other as well. They were exes. The entire thing had been messy. Too messy. In the whole ordeal, he has lost Kiara as his friend. 

The day came to an end with longing stares and quiet exchanges, he turned around to pick up the plastic cups discarded carelessly when Sarah yelled his name. He turned around, almost losing his balance when he noticed Rafe and shove JJ and the blonde boy retaliated as well only to get punched in the face. 

He ran over to them. “Guys come on stop it.” 

JJ chuckled from where he lay. “You should listen to your friend.” His eyes connected with Popes and Pope snapped, pushing Rafe to the ground before he hit JJ again. “Leave him alone.” 

“What the FUCK Pope.” Topper glared at him. “You really gonna yell at us for this pogue?” 

Pope shrugged. “Maybe I just want to leave a party for once without looking after your asses all the time.” Topper scoffed and JJ got up from the ground slowly with the help of Kiara. 

“You really taking his side right now? You gonna side with some junkie ass pogue over us?” Pope chuckled. “You know what?” Pope looked at JJ who was staring at him with wide eyes and gave him a small smile. “Maybe I am.” Rafe scoffed. “Why?” 

Pope swallowed thickly and went to stand next to JJ, taking his hand in his own. “Because he’s my boyfriend.” JJ’s head swung to look at him, mouth agape and eyes wide. Pope smiled at him softly and reassuringly. “Now if you’ll excuse me.” He grabbed JJ’s arm and dragged him away from the crowd. 

“Holy fuck that was really badass kook. I didn’t know you had it in you.” Pope chuckled in relief. JJ was taking this well. Good. “Sorry I should have asked you first. It’s just in that moment-“ JJ hugged him tightly then. “Hush...I loved it.” Their lips connected once again, this time filled with passion and happiness. Their laughter filled the quiet beach. They will deal with the outcome of their reveal tomorrow or the day after that, or whenever they want to. 

Right now, they were in their little bubble and JJ Maybank was Pope’s boyfriend, and now the whole world knew.

\---

“The pancakes are amazing Mrs. Heyward.” JJ munched on his pancakes. It was 10am at the Heyward home and they were all eating breakfast together. This had become a regular routine. Months had passed since the big reveal at the campfire and it had been a year since Pope and JJ started dating. 

JJ and his mother had a weird bond he didn’t quite understand but never questioned. His mother would always gossip about her church friends and his boyfriend would listen and even give dramatic expression seeming genuinely interested. 

His father had grown to like JJ. They watched baseball together on television as Pope complained and dozed off next to JJ. His father gave JJ a job as well and set up a guest room for him since he’s almost always with them. At night, JJ sneaks into his room, and if his mom and dad noticed, they didn’t mention it. Pope picked up the plates from the table as JJ tied his shoes. “Let’s head out.” 

Pope nodded before meeting his boyfriend at the door. “Stay safe boys.” They waved to his parents and left to meet up with the rest of the gang. Sarah and Kiara greeted them outside John B’s house. 

“Hey idiots we waited so long for you.” Kiara and Sarah mended their friendship after Pope left his kook friends. JJ helped Pope and Kiara get their differences sorted and Sarah decided to talk to Kiara and they sorted out their differences over time as well. Pope believes they are going to get back together but they both awkwardly deny it. 

“Let’s get going then.” JJ yelled as Kiara led them to the annual town carnival. “Did everyone get their tickets?” John B asked from the back. 

“No. I’m planning on stealing them.” JJ chuckled lightly.

Pope rolled his eyes. “No you will not. I have your tickets.” JJ pouted at him and Pope leaned in to give him a kiss. 

“I love you.” JJ whispered softly. Pope tangled their fingers together and smiled. 

“I love you too Jay.” 

Pope smiled at JJ as the blonde boy walked next to him. 

Sure JJ Maybank was a mess, and a piece of work, but JJ Maybank was his.


End file.
